ALL-COUNTY GIRLS WRESTLING TEAM

GIRLS WRESTLER OF THE YEAR

Neila Fritts, Capistrano Valley, Senior 

Neila Fritts had a way to get what she wanted if someone was in her way.

The way was a move called “The Freight Train Double.”

“One of my favorite things to do,” she said, “is kind of run right at the other girl and it almost always works.”

It worked enough enough to make Fritts, a senior at Capistrano Valley, the Register’s Orange County girls wrestler of the year for the 2021-22 season.

Fritts freight-trained her way to victory in just about everything she tried to do. She was CIF State champion at 235 pounds and also was CIF Southern Section Masters champion.

Fritts finished the season with a 38-1 record. Thirty-one of her wins were by pin.

Her one loss was to El Cajon Valley’s Valeria Rocha, who Fritts beat later in the season in the CIF State semifinals.

She ranks that win as the highlight of her season.

“I’m never going to forget my semifinals match at state,” Fritts said, “beating a wrestler I lost to earlier in the season.”

Seeded third in her division at the state meet, Fritts did not give up a point over all five rounds. She defeated top-seeded Annika Miles of Elk Grove in the final.

Fritts decided late in her freshman year to give wrestling a try. She soon found a home in the demanding sport.

“I made a lot of friends in the wrestling community,” Fritts said. “And not just on my team but all over the area. There’s a mutual respect and understanding.”

Capistrano Valley coach Brian Shackleford admired Fritts’ mental toughness.

“She just doesn’t quit and she’s never afraid,” Shackleford said. “Sometimes the bigger kids in wrestling are afraid to make a shoot move and get underneath kids.”

And as for that Freight Train move …

“She puts her head right into the other kid’s abdomen and runs over them like a train,” Shackleford said.

The move took Fritts to a state championship and recognition as the county’s best in girls wrestling.

COACH OF THE YEAR

Chris Rasmussen, Marina

Rasmussen and assistant coach Mike Dowdell led the Vikings to the CIF Southern Section Central Division championship and to the CIF State girls wrestling title.

This was his fourth season coaching Marina’s girls wrestling program. He has coached the school’s boys wrestling program since 2010.

Marina girls wrestling coach Chris Rasmussen, who led the team to the Central Division championship, is the Orange County girls wrestling coach of the year. (Photo courtesy of Chris Rasmussen)

Rasmussen was impressed by the commitment of the team’s athletes that outscored Gilroy 92.5 to 68 in the state meet.

“They put in a large amount of work and time on their own,” he said. “We always had a girl here or there interested in wrestling, but now girls are taking it very seriously.”

ALL-COUNTY TEAMS

First Team

101 pounds

Kaelani Schufeldt, Marina, Sr.: She finished third in the CIF Southern Section Masters meet, second in the CIF State championships.

106 pounds

Kacey Schafer, Marina, Sr.: Schafer was second in the Masters meet, eighth in the state meet.

111 pounds

Kylee Golz, Fairmont San Juan Capistrano, Fr.: She was fifth in the CIF State meet.

116 pounds

Carissa Qureshi, Portola, Jr.: A first-place finisher at the CIF-SS Masters meet, and fourth at the state meet.

121 pounds

Presley Anderson, Marina, Jr.: Anderson was second in the CIF-SS Masters meet.

126 pounds

River Todd, Marina, Sr.: Todd was a fourth-place finisher at the Masters meet.

131 pounds

Skyler Gassel, Newport Harbor, So.: She finished sixth at the Masters meet.

137 pounds

Charli Jewell, Foothill, Sr.: Jewell was fourth in the Masters meet, seventh at the CIF State meet.

143 pounds

Alexandra Lopez, Marina, Sr.: She was second in the Masters meet, second in the state meet.

150 pounds

Aalijah Pineda, Valencia, Sr.: A second-place finisher in the Masters meet, and seventh at the state meet.

160 pounds

Kayla Laguana, Westminster, Sr.: Laguana was second in the Masters meet.

170 pounds

Elise Urrutza, El Dorado, Sr.: Urrutia qualified for the Masters meet.

189 pounds

Angela Salazar, Santa Ana, Fr.: She was a Masters Meet qualifier.

235 pounds

Neila Fritts, Capistrano Valley, Sr.: The Orange County girls wrestler of the year.

SECOND TEAM

101: Alicia Serratos, Laguna Hills

106: Sophia Cornish, Tesoro

111: Ruby Pung, Edison

116: Jordyn Chrisco, Marina

121: Elaina Valenzuela, Esperanza

126: Kylie Yang, Sunny Hills

131: Kayla Ajoleza, San Clemente

137: Destiny Huerta, Tustin

143: Delainey Jorgensen, Foothill

Related Articles

150: Samantha Arce, Mater Dei

160: Nathalie Resendiz, El Toro

170: Suhela Sawaya, Valencia

189: Karina Shah, Yorba Linda

235: Lily Mercado, San Clemente